The present invention relates to sprinkler systems and pertains particularly to swing connectors for pop-up sprinkler systems.
Sprinkler units which retract into a housing in the ground when not in use, and which pop-up or extend from a housing in the ground when water pressure is supplied thereto, are widely used in both residential and commercial applications. These sprinkler units are typically mounted so that the top is substantially even with the surrounding surface of the ground when not in use. The nozzle unit extends upward above the surface of the ground when in use and retracts when not in use.
In the past, sprinkler units were mounted on a short riser on top of the supply line so that the top of the sprinkler housing was even with the surrounding ground surface This usually required several different lengths of risers to adjust the sprinkler unit to the proper height, because of varying terrain surface and depth of the supply line. This is usually an acceptable approach in most cases when the sprinkler unit is short enough to accommodate shallow buried supply lines, and adequate care was taken by the installer. However, longer stroke sprinkler units and many conditions require some other form of accommodation. The prior art approach frequently left the sprinkler unit protruding and unsafe or buried and inoperative.
In recent years, some installers have begun to use offset connector lines to accommodate the sprinkler unit to grade. The offset connector lines were made up on the spot from fittings, such as a short length of pipe and elbows. The elbows and fittings were usually threaded or solvent welded to the supply lines, and extensions. The solvent welded connections could not accommodate any adjustment after installation. The threaded connections could accommodate some minor adjustment, but with a risk of partially unscrewing and leakage. Other approaches use an elongated flexible line to accommodate some variation on the height of the sprinkler. This approach is time consuming, labor intensive and expensive.
Another approach to accommodate different depths was to construct the sprinkler housing with both end and side inlets. This approach is unsatisfactory, because it is expensive and enables accumulation of debris in the bottom of the sprinkler housing. These two approaches have a number of drawbacks, including costs due to parts and increased labor.
It is, therefore, desirable that an improved connector assembly for pop-up sprinklers be available that can accommodate to sprinkle to varying depth of a supply line.